VW Continues History of Racing with New Electric Car

Volkswagen continues its dedication to the sport of racing while exercising some innovation as it develops an all-electric car for the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb. The goal of the all-wheel drive electric vehicle is to set a new electrified record when it reaches the peak at 14,000 feet above sea level. Developing this all-electric race car is just another step in the company’s goal of becoming the leading producer of electrified vehicles by the year 2025. “The Pikes Peak hill climb is one of the world’s most renowned car races. It poses an enormous challenge and is therefore perfectly suited to proving the capabilities of upcoming technologies,” said VW board member Dr. Frank Welsch. “Our electric race car will be equipped with innovative battery and drive technology. The extreme stress test posed by Pikes Peak will give us important feedback that will benefit future development, and it will showcase our products and their technologies.” Keep up to date with the ever-changing technology of the Volkswagen brand by visiting Chapman VW Tucson.

Celebrating 50 Years of Baja Racing

It might surprise some people to know that VW has been a major player in a completely different kind of racing for the past five decades. This November marks the 50th year that VW has participated in Baja desert racing in the United States and Mexico. The company uses “Baja Bugs” and other cars utilizing Beetle running gear to combat some of the toughest terrain on the desert. One of the most famous types of vehicles competing in the early races was the Meyer Manx dune buggy that utilized Beetle running gear to victory in a 950-mile race in 1967. This year the SCORE Baja 1000 will be a 1,200-mile race that runs across some of the most grueling terrain in the southwest. Conquering that course many times has given Volkswagen the racing confidence to attack Pikes Peak.

Last Pike’s Peak Try was 1987

It’s been 30 years since Volkswagen attempted the Pike’s Peak run. The entrant back then was a twin-engine Golf that barely missed completing the run. VW Motorsports engineers and designers are hoping for a better result this time. “It is high time for a rematch,” said Sven Smeets, VW director of the Motorsports division. “The project car is also an important milestone in our new motorsport orientation. Our team is literally electrified about taking on this incredible challenge.”

People’s Car Gets People’s Warranty

While all this news about electrified innovation is certainly interesting, what might be most applicable to today’s car buyers is the recent announcement about the “People’s Warranty.” On most new models, VW now offers a comprehensive 6-year/72,000-mile limited bumper-to-bumper warranty. That’s double the warranty provided by most competitors. See why VW has such confidence in its entire lineup when you visit Chapman VW Tucson and take a test drive.